Ore-concentrator



D. H. DONEGAN.

0R: CONCENTRATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR.14. 1920.

1,352,882, PatentedSept. 14, 1920.

ji'yj,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

DAVID H. DONEGAN, OF SAWPIT, COLORADO.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR. I

Application filed April 14.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, DAVID HUBERT Donn- GAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the town of Sawpit, county of San Miguel, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a concentrator for the metal or metal compounds found in metal b aring ores or earth, and aims to provide imp ovements therein.

The invention provides a sluice or riffleboard of improved construction and operation.

The invention further provides a hydraulic gravity separator, preferably in combination with the sluice board, for effecting separation of metals or metal compounds from the earth or gangue which the metals or metal compounds are associated with; or of concentrated port ons of the ore, in the case where the hydraulic gravity separator is used in conjunction with the sluice, for separating the concentrates coming from the sluice.

The invention further provides a sluice or rifile-board in which the riftles are automatically cleaned.

The invention further provides, preferably in combination with the sluice and hydraulic gravity separator, a screen by which a further separation of the metal or metal compounds may be effected.

The invention furtl" er provides a novel arrangement, and combination, and subcombination of parts, together with novel elements, as hereinafter more fully set forth, and as defined in the annexed claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the concentrator as a whole.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line II-II Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line III-III Fig. 2.

In said drawings Numeral 10 designates a sluice or riffleboard, which may be of any suitable construction but is preferably in the form of a board or sluice having riflles in the form of pockets 12 therein. The rifiies or pockets may be of. any desired shape and may be set or formed at any desired angle across the riflle-board. These pockets 12 preferably ex- Specification 01" Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

1920. Serial No. 373.851-

tend below the surface of the bottom ll of the sluice. The riilies or pockets 12 prefer ably extend directly across the board or sluice, and the walls of the pocket on the side which is in the direction of flow of the sludge or slimes is preferably inclined in said direction of flow, as indicated by numeral 15. The opposite wall 17 of the pocket is also inclined, so that said wall is undercut or overhangs the bottom of the pocket.

There is also preferably an outlet from the pocket, as for example the narrow slot 19. This slot preferably communicates with a conduit 21 leading off to any suitable device or place for collecting the concentrates. The conduit 21 is preferably in two parts, leading off the Water containing the concentrates to the two sides of the sluice. Of course a conduit leading off to one side of the sluice only may be employed if desired. The outlet from the pocket provides for automatically cleaning the rifiles.

The concentrates flowing off through the conduit 21, preferably before being collected, pass through a hydraulic gravity separator 23 for effecting the further concentration of the metal values. The device 23 preferably comprises a pipe or conduit 24: having an upwardly directed portion with a spout 25 through which the water may flow. The lighter portions of the concentrated matter suspended in the water are carried upward with the water, and pass off through the spout 25. The heavier portions sink to the bottom of the conduit 25. Preferably, however, the device 23 comprises a second conduit or spout 27 through which a portion of the water flowing into the conduit 24 may flow and carry with it the concentrated metal values which are not carried upward by the stream through the spout 25, thus providing for a continuous separation of the lighter and heavier suspended particles, and the continuous carrying off of the heavier suspended particles through the spout 27.

The rate of flow through the spout or conduit 27 is preferably controlled by means of a valve 28. By regulating the opening controlled by the valve 28 the separation of the lighter and heavier particles may be regulated. There may be a set of these hydrau lic gravity separators on the two sides of the sluice, where the sluice is made with the conduit 21 leading off to the two sides.

A gutter 31 may be provided for carrying off the liquid and light suspended matter or gangue flowing from the spout 25.

The concentrates passing through the conduit 21, or through the conduit 21 and the hydraulic ravity separator 23 may be collected in t e bottom of a trouh 85, which trough may also serve as a support for the sluice 10 and gutter or gutters 31.

Preferably, however, the water carrying the concentrates flows on to a screen 40. This screen is conveniently in the form of a perforated plate 41 having on top thereof a bed of finel Y divided inert material 43, as for example s 0t. The heavier material will work its way-through the shot or other inert material to the bottom of the trough, while the anguewill be in large part caught and retalned in the bed of the screen.

The concentrates in the bottom of the trough may be run off through vertical pipes the best results.

50 'connected with a main pipe 52 leading oif to a suitableplace of collection or receptacle for holding the values.

A head gate 55 ma also be placed at the end of the trough. he height of this head gate may be chosen by the user so as to give The water flowing over the head gate 55 will carry away with it any light particles suspended therein and passing through the screen 40.

The operation of the device is as follows The sludge or slime, formed in any suitable manner is conducted to the head of the sluice or ri e-board 10, and flows over the riflle-board in the direction indicated by the arrow. The stream will carry the lighter particles of dirt or gangue with it over the end 50 of this sluice. The heavier particles will dro to the bottom of the stream, and collect in t e riflies or pockets 12. Where the pockets 12 are rovided with an outlet, the concentrates which collect in the pockets 12 flow out, with a part of the water through the conduits 21, thereby automatically cleaning the riflles. Where the conduits 2-1 are are preferably carried off through the pipes 50, 50 to a collection receptacle. The water flowing over the head gate 55 will carry away with it any li ht particles flowing through the screen. owever, this head gate may through the pipes 50, 52.

The action of the hydraulic gravity separator 23 is controlled by operating the valve 28. This controls the rate of fiow throu h the spout 27, and consequently controls t e rate of flow through the spout 25. The greater the flow through the spout 25, the greater will be the ability of the stream flowing through the spout 25 to carry with it portions of the suspended matter flowin into the separator 23. The regulation is eiiected so that the greatest amount of gangue escapes through the spout 25, and all or the greater portion of the metal values passes off through the spout 27;

The inventive ideas herein set forth may receive other embodiments than those herein specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths, comprising a sluice and a series of rifiles in said sluice, said riflles being in the form of pockets below the bottom of said sluice, and an outlet from said pockets for carrying off the concentrates settling in said pockets during the running of the sluice, and means for efi'ecting'a further se aration of the gangue in said concentrates rom the metal therein, said means comprising an upwardly directed spout connected with said outlet through which the liquid carrying the lighter portions of the concentrates may flow, and a second spout through which the liquid carrying the hlghly concentrated metal may flow, and a screen into which said second named spout discharges.

2. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths, comprising a sluice and a series of riflles in said sluice, said rifiies being in the form of po kets below the bottom of said sluice, and an outlet from said pockets sluice, and means for effecting a further separation of the gangue in said concentrates from the metal therein, said means comprising .an upwardly directed spout through ,which the liquid carrying the lighter portions of the concentrates may flow, and a second spout through which the liquid carrying the highly concentrated metal may flow, and a screen into which said second named spout discharges, said screen having a bed of divided inert material through which the heavier metal particles may work. Y

3. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths, comprising a sluice and a series of riflles in said sluice, said riffles being in the form of pockets below the bottom of said sluice, and an outlet from said pockets for carrying off the concentrates settling in said pockets during the running of the sluice, and means for effecting a further separation of the gangue in said concentrates from the metal therein, said means comprising an upwardly directed spout through which the liquid carrying the lighter portions of the concentrates may flow, and a second spout through which the liquid carrying the highly concentrated metal may flow, and a screen into which said second named spout discharges, said screen having a bed of divided inertmaterial through which the heavier metal particles may work, and means for collecting the metal passing through said screen.

4. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths, comprising a sluice and a series of riflles in said sluice, said rifiles being in the form of pockets below the bottom of said sluice, and an outlet from said pockets for carrying off the concentrates settling in said pockets durin the running of the sluice, and means %or effecting a further separation of the gangue in said concentrates from the metal therein, said means comprising an upwardly directed spout through which the liquid carrying the lighter portions of the concentrates may flow, and a second spout through which the liquid carrying the highly concentrated metal may flow, and a screen into which said second named spout discharges, said screen having a bed of divided inert material through which the heavier metal particles may work, and means for collecting the metal passing through said screen, said latter means comprising a trou h and pipes leading off from the bottom 0 said trough.

5. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths comprising a trough, a sluice arranged within said trough adjacent the top thereof and provided with a series of riflies, a gutter arranged adjacent the side of said sluice, a screen arranged adjacent the bottom of said trough, an outlet pipe connected with said rifiies, an upwardly directed spout connected with said outlet pipe and discharging into said gutter, and a downwardly directed spout connected with said outlet pipe and discharging on said screen.

6. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths comprising a trough, a sluice arranged within said trough adjacent the top thereof and provided with a series of rifiies a gutter arranged adjacent the side of said sluice, a screen arranged adjacent the bottom of said trough, an outlet pipe connected with said rifiies, an upwardly directed spout connected with said outlet pipe and discharging into said gutter, a downwardly directed spout connected with said outlet pipe and discharging on said screen and a finely divided bed of inert material arranged upon the body of said screen.

7. A concentrator for metal bearing ores or earths comprising a trough, a sluice arranged within said trough adjacent the top thereof and provided with a series of rifiles, a gutter arranged adjacent the side of said sluice, a screen arranged adjacent the bottom of said trough, an outlet pipe connected with said rifiies, an upwardly directed spout connected with said outlet pipe and discharging into said gutter, a downwardly directed spout. connected with said outlet pipe and discharging on said screen, a finely divided bed of inert material arranged upon the body of said screen, outlet pipes connected with said trough beneath said screen and a collector pipe connected with said outlet pipes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

DAVID H. DONEGAN. 

